Transformation of Precept titles(法號, beopho) in Late Goryeo and the Emergence of “Jonja(尊者)” and “Guk-il(國一)”

In early Goryeo, a monk’s beopho accumulated cumulatively, signifying his spiritual accomplishments and functioning as an appellation preceding his Seunggye. In contrast, during the late Goryeo period, earlier beophoes were at times replaced with new ones. The beopho came to be conferred not only on Seunggye but also in association with the title of Saho(師號), “Venerable(尊者, Jonja)”, and appointments as Royal Preceptor(王師, wangsa) or National Preceptor(國師, guksa). In other words, in the late Goryeo period, a beopho was conferred alongside every honor granted to a monk. The title “Jonja” newly emerged in the late Goryeo period. After the reign of King Chungsuk, most Seon monks appointed as Royal Preceptor or National Preceptor received the honorific “Jonja”. In honoring eminent Seon monks as having attained enlightenment on par with the Buddha, the royal court bestowed upon them the honorific title of “Jonja”. While Jonja was typically conferred on monks of the Seon school, Guk-il was more broadly bestowed—it was given not only to Seon and Cheontae monks, but also to monks of the Huayan and Ja-eun-jong. In the early Joseon period, the expression “the Guk-il who leads the jongmun(宗門) and unifies the five schools(五敎, ogyo)” confirms that monks bearing the beopho “Guk-il” represented and led their respective orders. The fact that monks with the Guk-il title appeared across Seon, Cheontae, Huayan, and Jaeun schools shows that each was the representative of his order. Unlike the title Jonja, which could be concurrently conferred on multiple monks, “Guk-il” was not duplicated. As the epithet’s meaning—“the nation’s foremost person”—implies, the beopho Guk-il was only granted to one person in each school at a time.